FOUR WEEKS??

Ciao Famiglia!!

Can you believe I've been in the MTC four weeks already?? It feels like I just got here, but then again it also feels like I've been here my whole life. Weird how that works.

This week has been crazy! I was a little tired at the end of last week because my Miami trip was catching up with me, but I'm thankful that I can just focus on my work here from now on. We hadn't met with our "investigators" for a long time because of my trip, but we met with them last week and guess what? THEY'VE BOTH COMMITTED TO BAPTISM!!!! Okay, yeah, they're just our teachers pretending to be people they met on their missions, but both of them, Salvatore and Sonia, want to be baptized. IT'S THE BEST! Now Sor. Sobeck and I are working like crazy to teach them all the lessons. There's a lot to know! Yikies. It's been a challenge to keep things simple. But it's been a helpful kind of challenging because I'm learning a TON. Sor S and I are getting SO much better at teaching as a companionship. And I'll say it 'til I die THE GIFT OF TONGUES IS REAL. Sor S and I go about 45%/55% in speaking during our lessons. IT IS AWESOME. She's doing great, as are all the other missionaries in our district. Anz Moh, our district leader got up in testimony meeting last Sunday and I was just blown away by how accurately he was able to convey his testimony after only 3.5 weeks of studying the language - and with other studying taking up time, too. Testimony meeting on Sunday was cool because we have all 10 Italian missionaries in our branch and then like 40 Brazilian missionaries who are waiting for their visas, so we just bore our testimonies in the language we are learning. I can understand about 95% of what the Brazilians say. Same for any Spanish speakers. It's pretty neat. And everyone in our district (except one sister) bore their testimony on Sunday. It was so rad. AHH. I love my district! Italy better watch out because we leave in 5 weeks!!!!!!!

Yeah. I'll be in Italy in 5 weeks. I'm freaking out. In a good way. AH!

So the sad news of the week is that our super awesome teacher, Sorella Swenson, is leaving us. She is an elementary ed major at BYU and she is starting her classroom teaching pretty soon. She couldn't get her schedule to work with her MTC schedule, so we're getting a new teacher. We're all pretty bummed about it because she is absolutely amazing. In class on Friday night we had the most fantastic lesson that was driven completely by the Spirit. Every single one of us cried, it was so powerful. I encourage you all to read the talk "Rise to Your Call" by Elder Eyring because it is so great. We read it in class that night. So cool.

I had some other cool scriptures I wanted to share (mom, could you maybe cut and paste the text of these when you post this to my blog?): [This is Katie's mom, I put the scriptures in the brackets after what she wrote.]

-Hebrews 13:24 - the last line is so great and gives me lots of comfort [Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you.]

-Romans 1: 7, 15 (and 16) - so I know I'm going to Milan and not Rome, but Italy is Italy, right??

[7 To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.]

-2 Nephi 22 (the whole thing) - I found this the other day during my personal study and just loved it. Isaiah chapter and all! And I really love the last verse where it says that the Lord will be "in the midst of thee". "Thee" being singular. Meaning in the midst of YOU. Ahh. So cool.

[1 And in that day thou shalt say: O Lord, I will praise thee; though thou wast angry with me thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedest me. 2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid, for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also has become my salvation. 3 Therefore, with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. 4 And in that day shall ye say: Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. 5 Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things; this is known in all the earth. 6 Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion; for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.]

So our classroom is on the same hall as the Russians, and we've made friends with them. It's a lot of fun. We play kickball with them and they are just a riot. So much fun. And I've been learning some Russian words! (As if Italian wasn't enough for me). Be sure and tell Bethy! I know the words for "thank you", "elder", "sister" and "much yes". Haha. Most of them leave the same day we do, so we see them a lot. But 35 new Russian missionaries came to the MTC today, including 8 sisters! We get new Italians in 2 weeks, and there are 5 of them. Five. Yeah. Nuts.

And this is just a personal note, but could you tell my peeps to WRITE ME?!?!? I'm not going to tell you how depressing it is to not get ANY mail for like four days in a row. Nothing. Don't mind all my other sorelle and anziani who get at least one letter/DE a day and a few packages every week. It's the worst to have to sit at dinner in silence because everyone else is reading their mail and you just have to sit there picking at food that you aren't going to eat because it's gross. Ok. Thanks.

Also, could someone please send/DE me Brooke Baker's address? She's on her mission in Australia and her mailing info should be on her facebook page. I'd really love to write her. And another request for dad - could you please DE me the lyrics to Poliahu, He Hawaii Au and Pua Olena? Sorella Taylor (who is in the other class) loves to hear me sing and wanted me to sing a Hawaiian song to her but I couldn't remember the words well enough to sing much to her. She's funny. But those would be nice to have regardless.

That reminds me, guess who's singing in church in two weeks?? Oh right. That would be me! Sor Miles is the new music coordinator for our branch and so I got roped into singing in church. (There's no where to hide). I'm singing alto for a song called "My Kindness Shall Not Depart From Thee" I dunno who it's by. I'm singing with Sor Miles and two Brazilian elders, Elders Crook and Clark, with Sor Teichert on the piano. It's a really great song and I think it is going to sound awesome once we polish it up a bit. I'm excited for it; I haven't sung in church in about 23020349028 years. I wish there was some way I could record it and send a copy to you. We'll have to see what we can do.

Mom, I don't know if you've sent that package yet, but if you could send me those half notecards that I brought from Utah, that would be great! Also, if you (or anyone else) wanted to send me some healthy snacks like banana chips, dried fruit, nuts, chocolate covered pretzels (okay, maybe those aren't so healthy, but they're delcious. So sue me). I'm kind of kidding, but not really at all. Those class sessions are long!

So cool stuff, my district sets goals every week for things to memorize in Italian, and since I'm ahead of everyone else in the language, I'm way ahead also in my memorization. I've already memorized the missionary purpose in English and Italian, and the first vision in Italian. Just this last week I memorized D&C 4 in Italian! It's great!

Ack! I'm out of time! Man, these 30 min go by so fast! Well. I love you all so much! Thanks mom and dad for writing me letters. My district is kinda jealous of those :) Being a missionary is totally the right thing for me right now and I thank you all so much for your love, support, and prayers. VI VOGLIO UN MONDO DI BENE!!!!!!!

Con amore,

Sorella Soh

Week the Third

Ciao Cara Famigila,

I hate to start an email out this way, but I have some terrible news. They had cod nuggets for dinner on Monday AND I MISSED IT!!!! Ahhh man! Apparently my sorelle saw on the board that there would be cod nuggets and just busted out laughing! Oh those cod nuggets.

In reality, I am happy to report that I had a successful trip to Miami! I woke up at 4am on Monday, drove on the MTC bus to the airport with a bunch of other missionaries going out into the field and flew from SLC to Dallas/Ft Worth and then to Ft Lauderdale. The mission president, President Anderson and his wife Sister Anderson, picked me up at the airport and took me to the mission home. I got into FL at about 5:40 pm. Yeah. A lot of traveling. I stayed the night at the mission home and had stir fry chicken instead of cod nuggets (aw, sad) and then the next morning I was handed off to Elder and Sister Sommerfeldt, a senior couple from Canada. They took me down to Miami where I went to the consulate. First let me say that Pres and Sis Anderson are AWESOME! They were very kind. Sis Anderson and I had a nice chat after dinner and Pres Anderson looks a lot like Gary Cooper. Haha.

So. The Consulate. Dun-dun-DUHHHH!!! We got there and the business plaza it is in was in between - get this - a Jaguar/Porsche/Ferrari dealership on the one side and a Steinway gallery on the other! Yeah, that definitely set the tone of the consulate. So I go up to the fifth floor while the Sommerfeldts waited in the car, fully expecting to wait for two hours in the consulate, especially since I didn't have an appointment (they don't make appts). Anyway, I walk in the consulate and it is a beautiful work space. Very nicely furnished, totally classy, and the only other person there, besides the worker, was a woman filling out some paperwork. I waited a grand total of about 10 seconds before I got called up to the window. The man asked what I needed, I told him I was there to apply for my visa, he took my stuff, put the sticker on my return envelope and handed me the tracking number, and then said, "alright you should expect your visa in about a week." !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can you believe that!?!? I was totally stunned!!!! He must've seen it on my face because he said "yeah, they usually have everything we need" and that was it. I was in the consulate for literally less than 10 minutes. !!!!!!!!!!!!! And to get my visa in a week???? Are you kidding me?!?! I'M SO EXCITED!!!! It really was the best! When I walked back down to the car we didn't really know what to do! We had expected it to take much longer than it did. It was a beautiful experience.

Hopefully I don't run out of time to write today. I feel like I've been typing particularly slow. Eh.

Anyway, throughout this whole ordeal I've been wondering what I've supposed to be learning from it. I thought for sure there was someone I needed to talk to or share the Book of Mormon with or something, but I didn't know. So after we left the consulate the Sommerfeldts took me to Subway to get something to eat and also to get something for the trip back. We walked in and the only other patrons were a woman and her 3 year old daughter. She looked at us and then after a moment of hesitation she said "It's the Elders!" We went over and talked to her and come to find out she is a member of the Church. She had been baptized in Albany about two years ago and just barely moved down to Miami five months ago. She said she had been trying to find the Church down there but couldn't find it. She kept saying how she really wanted someone to come over and teach her daughter so that she could "grow up right". So Sis S took her info and promised to get the missionaries in touch with her. The woman, Dorothy, said she had just about given up on finding the Church in FL. It was a very interesting experience. I kept thinking to myself "this woman is a beloved daughter of God. She has no idea how much of a hassle it was for us to be in that place at that time. He must really love her and care a great deal about her daughter, Alexis." I mean, obviously the Lord loves everyone, but I really felt a strong witness that this particular woman was individually loved of God. Way cool, right?

And then on my layover in Chicago I met a woman from York, England on her way to visit her kids and grandkids that she hasn't seen in two years. We just talked for a while. She does some kind of testing on food for germs and stuff, so naturally I was interested and she said that on this trip she had gone without her husband and was kinda sad about it. "Miserable" without him, she said. Anyway, she told me about her job and her kids and stuff and later on in our conversation she said something to the effect of "thanks for chatting with me. I was feeling pretty miserable and you've really cheered me up." What a nice thing! So, all in all, the trip to Miami was a MAJOR success!!!! Sa-weet!

The bummer part was that I missed the devotional last night :(. Russell M. Nelson came!!!!!! Double drat. But check this out, one of the sorelle in our district, Sor. Miles, IS HIS GRANDDAUGHTER! Crazy, right?! Apparently he called her up on the stand and hugged her. Only after that did he spill the beans about their relationship so everyone was basically left wondering "um. Is that allowed? Are apostles allowed to hug girls???" I'm sad I missed it.

Oh, we got new roommates last week! Sis Peterson and Sis Windley who are both going to New Hampshire. They'll leave again before we do, so it's kinda weird, but they are nice. And Sis Windley really gets my sense of humor so that's fun. We hardly ever see them, though. Mostly only at night. But that's cool.

I forgot to mention - so when I was waiting to leave SLC Monday morning, I went to go buy some breakfast. The guy in front of me was clearly Polynesian and started talking to me. I found out that he's a member of the Church and he and his family were headed back home to Miami! They know Pres and Sis Anderson. So anyway, the Polynesian that he was, he bought my lunch. Those dang Polys! Haha. It was nice of him and I knew that he would buy my breakfast no matter how much I protested. I told Pres Anderson about them (I didn't catch their name) and he said that they were Tongan.

Anyway, I've really been thinking this week about how people are really, truly searching for the Gospel. I mean, people really do want to do what is right. They want to be kind to other people. They want to live by a kind of moral standard. People really do have a longing for God. It's so interesting to get to see how different people interact with what they feel and what they believe is right. So cool.

ACK! My time is up! Well, I love you all very much and am so grateful for your support. A big thank you to those who have written to me! It really makes all the difference in the world when there is mail waiting for you after lunch and dinner. I love it. And I love you!

Vi vogliamo troppo bene :)

Love,

Sorella Soh

Pictures from the MTC!

We got a card from Katie today with photos from the MTC. My scanner is broken so I had to take pictures of the pictures, which made for some strange lighting in a couple of places, but they're still great!

MTC Companions! Sorella Soh & Sorella Sobeck

Roommate Companions! Sorealla Teichert & Sorella Ivory

Roommates! Sorella Sobeck, Teichert, Ivory, Soh

The Italian Sorella on matching outfit day: Sorelle Teichert, Sobeck, Nilson, Ivory, Camp, Oakes, Soh

Italian Sisters! - Provo Temple: Teichert, Fidler, Ivory, Taylor, Oakes, Nilson, Camp, Sobeck, Miles, Soh

Anziani L-R: Stewart, Ginolfi, Jones, Bigneri, Nelson, Hatch, Moh, Droghei, Roisum, Skanchy and ? (she had to trim the photos to fit them in the envelope and cut off the names!)

Sorelle L-R: Teichert, Ivory, Fidler, Taylor, Oakes, Nison, Camp, Sobeck, Miles, Soh

Branch 33 Italians

"Double Guns" Anziani: Ginolfi, Saknchy, Hatch, Moh, Hones, Vigneri

P-day email 9.14.11

Ciao Cara Famiglia!!!!

First off, I'd like to apologize for the comment last week about not writing me letters. It took until Saturday for me to get the letters you wrote me on Sunday (sent on Tuesday). They are in the process of moving the mailroom here at the MTC, so that's why there are no DearElders (I'll abbreviate that DE) right now. I think tomorrow they'll be back up? Don't know. But thank you for sending me letters! And DEs. I do not, however, apologize to my lame friends who have not written me at all (with one exception and she knows who she is).

I can't believe I've already completed two weeks at the MTC. The first few days were long, but since my first Sunday here the time has positively FLOWN by! I'm learning a TON, mostly about myself and how I need to teach investigators and work with my companion. I love Sorella Sobeck! I think I drive her nuts most of the time. Haha. But we're working on being better and working together. I can't really remember what I wrote in my email last week (it takes up time to look over it!), but in any case, I'd just like to reiterate my witness that THE GIFT OF TONGUES IS REAL!!!!! Ah. It is SO real. it truly is remarkable how much my fellow missionaries can understand - and how much they can speak! Every single one of them can bear their testimony and pray in Italian. Amazing. The gift of tongues is so real.

This Monday was the first day that we went to the Training Resource Center (TRC) where we got to talk to and teach real people as themselves - RMs, students, members of the church - in Italian. Sor. Sobeck and I walked in to meet our first person, and lo and behold, it was my friend Breckyn!!! She studied in Siena with me last year! It was totally funny. And then in the room next door was my other friend from Italy, Maria (she and Breckyn came together to practice their Italian)!!!! It was totally cool! I've also seen my friend Aubry, who works custodial on my floor (she served her mission in Rome and is awesome. She wrote a poem dedicated to me the night before I went to the MTC). And then the other day in the cafeteria I ran into my friend Geneva!!!! She's the totally awesome one that was in my ward and I love so much. It was great! The other sorelle ALWAYS see people they know, so it's nice that I get to run into my friends sometimes, too.

We have two new "investigators" this week. They are really our teachers, but they take on the roles of people they actually taught, so it's neat. We were meeting with Luigi last week and it was going great, but then we ran out of time with him. It was a great learning experience, though. So our new investigators and Sonia and Salvatore. Sonia is super cute and nice and is going to be fun to teach. Salvatore is an old man who lives alone and loves fishing. He talks A LOT and really fast. The first time we met with him Sor. S could hardly understand two words he said! I'm so lucky that I was able to study so much Italian before I came here, and especially that I was able to go to Italy to practice. It's been such a blessing for me to be able to focus more on the doctrines I'm teaching and less on learning the language. I think my district is torn about my speaking skills, though, because it's helpful for them to have me as a walking dictionary, but also annoying and frustrating that I'm so far ahead of them. I'm trying to help them as much as I can. They already know more Italian than I did after two weeks! I didn't have the Spirit helping me as much as he is helping them!

Our teachers, Sorella Swenson and Fratello Mortenson are AWESOME. Sor. Swenson is one of the most spiritual, amazing people I've ever met, and her Italian accent is really good, even if it's a southern accent. She is so sensitive to the Spirit and I have learned so much from her. She is great! Fratello Mortenson just got home from his mission two months ago! His Italian accent is really good, too. He is so excited to teach and has a great energy. As of yesterday in our class there are only the four sorelle roommates in class. Anz Moh and Jones were in our class, but they moved to the other class to be with the triplet of sisters and Anz Hatch so that he wouldn't have to be alone in class. Anz Hatch was supposed to be companions with another Anz from Albania, but he never showed up so they had to reorganize us a little bit. We're sad to lose the Anz, but they are just one classroom over.

I'm going to Miami next week! I leave reaaaaally early on Monday morning and will get back late on Tuesday night. I'm not really excited about having to do so much flying in such a short amount of time, but hopefully my visa business will all be squared away after that!

Sundays are the BEST days at the MTC. They're just so great! We have lots of great meetings and end the night with a fireside. It's great. Last Sunday we watched the "Music and the Spoken Word" 9/11 tribute. It was really moving. I can't believe that was 10 years ago. Isn't it amazing how far we've come in so many ways in 10 years? Wow. Oh! And last night was our Tuesday night devotional! We never know who is going to be speaking until he walks in. Yesterday, it was Elder M. Russell Ballard!!!!! It was AWESOME!!! It was a really great devotional. AH! The MTC is so great! The days sometimes seem long when we're sitting in class for forever, but the weeks have gone by quickly. It's funny, the checkpoints of the day are basically mealtimes, so I always find that I look forward to going to eat. Even when I'm not hungry! I'm afraid I'm going to gain a ton of weight here because they always have dessert (AND COOKIES. YUM.) Haha. We've only had cod nuggets the one time, though! I didn't even eat any. Oh darn. Tell Squeaky that I'd rather have a fajita quesadilla over cod nuggets :)

Yesterday (or the day before. can't remember) I memorized the first vision in Italian. It's not a long segment, but I did it! I'm excited. Italian is the best. I can't wait to get over to Italy!!!! It's going to be great. The Italian people need the gospel so much! It really can (and DOES) change lives. Ah. So exciting.

Well, I'm out of time!! It goes by so quickly! These 30 min are seriously the most nerve-wrecking minutes of my entire week! So much to say in so little time! BUT. I love you all! Thank you for supporting me in my choice to serve a mission. I know it's the best thing for me.

Have a great week!!!!

Love,

Sorella Soh

Pictures from drop-off day

We live in Alabama and didn't fly out with Katie to drop her off at the MTC. However my parents and my sister Liesl and her family live in the area so they were able to take over that part.

The night before she went to the MTC, Katie had a going away party at her grandparents' house. Lots of her friends were able to come say goodbye - some even stayed around long enough to have their pictures taken!

The next day she went to lunch with her Opa and Nana Smith, aunt Liesl Buskirk and cousin Leah.

Then it was time to head off to the MTC. Here is Katie, with the two suitcases she had to fit everything she'll need for the next 18 months into. It wasn't easy!

Katie and her 2nd cousin Sarah Hafen met randomly in a science class a few years ago in a fluke that might never have happened (and because our family has lived all over the country we barely have time to visit first cousins, much less second cousins) but we're so glad they did! They've become great friends, and Sarah (after having stayed at the party till WAY later than was probably wise the night before) managed to get to the MTC to see Katie on her way.

Two elders were on hand to help Katie with her luggage, and this was the last sight of her as she entered the MTC. They used to do a family reception type thing but stopped that a few years back, so it's goodbye at the curb and off they go! Ciao, Katie!

P-day email 9.7.11

CIAO CARA FAMIGLIA!!!!

I've been waiting all week to write this email because my P-day is on Wednesday. I'm only allowed to write letters and emails on p-day. But. I AM AT THE MTC!!!!! I AM A MISSIONARY FOR REAL! I have a nametag and everything! Woohoo!

We went to the temple this morning and let me just say that it was a great way to complete my first full week at the MTC. My schedule is really full every day, but that's probably a good thing because I've been too busy to think about other things that aren't important. I'll start at the beginning!

My companion's name is Sorella Sobeck. She's from CA and she is going to Roma. Seven Italian sisters entered the MTC last week and I'm the only one going to Milan. Sor. Sobeck and I are roommates with Sorella Ivory (from SLC) and Sorella Teichert (from WY). If either of their last names sound familiar, it's because Sor. Ivory's dad is the Ivory of Ivory Homes and Sor. Teichert's great-grandmother is Minvera Teichert, the artist. I like them all a lot. Every night before companionship prayer we have a mini devotional where one of us picks a scripture and shares it with the rest of us. I started the trend our second night here and I think it has really helped us all to bond and feel better about being here. (Sor. Ivory and Teichert are both going to Roma).

Oh man oh man I have so many things to write and so little time! I made a little list of the things I wanted to tell you, so forgive me if this email sounds like a laundry list. First of all, I'm sure you've heard about my visa troubles. Apparently I'll be going to Miami next week to go apply and I hope and pray that this time everything will work out. Sor. Teichert actually just got back from Chicago yesterday because she had to go in person to pick up her visa from the consulate there.

No one else in my district speaks Italian. Some of them have taken classes, but I'm much farther ahead of all of them. Sometimes I think it really discourages everyone when I can totally understand what is going on, but other times I think they like having me around as a kind of "instant dictionary". We have an investigator (actor, but it feels so real) named Luigi and he is really great. I can get my point across for the most part, but poor Sor. Sobeck doesn't speak a lick of Italian and really struggles. Mostly at our appointments with Luigi she just sits there and will pray and bear her testimony with the Italian that she knows. Which reminds me. THE GIFT OF TONGUES IS SO REAL. It is SOOO real. The other missionaries can't see it very well, but it is so clear to me that the gift of tongues is working in them. It really is incredible to hear them speak and pray and bear testimony in Italian when just a week ago they didn't know any. I keep telling them how amazing it is, but they are still discouraged. But. The gift of tongues is real and I see it in action. Our classroom is on the same floor as the Russian missionaries, so I always tell my Sorelle (sisters) and Anziani (Elders) that it could be worse! They could be trying to learn Russian!

There are only 22 Italian missionaries in the MTC, 10 sisters and 12 elders. That is pretty crazy, especially for the MTC where the boys outnumber the girls a bazillion to one. All our Anziani are great, though. Our district leader's name is Anziano Moh. MOH! It was funny, the first time I saw him he didn't have his nametag on yet, but I had mine. He saw "Sorella Soh" and said "Soh?!" then pointed to himself and said "Moh!!!'. I was really confused because he didn't have his nametag and I had no idea what the heck he was talking about. Haha. It's kinda neat, though, because we have Moh, Soh and Sobeck. All the Italians are really great, and the Anziani take the Sorelle's trays at mealtimes (we all sit together). I really think that's something unique to our district. There are some really, really great missionaries going to Italy. Called to serve, baby!

OH!!! I SAW ELDER HAFEN!!!! It really was a tender mercy that I got to see him because he was on a different meal schedule than me so I never saw him then. But Sunday was Fast Sunday and so our branch got to go to dinner earlier than usual. I had barely walked in when, lo and behold, there he was sitting at the table! I'm pretty sure he had no idea who I was, but I knew who he was and that's all that really mattered to me. We didn't get a picture together because no cameras are allowed in the cafeteria, but I really did see him. And then he played a cello duet at the MTC devotional that night and was amazing! I kept saying "THAT'S MY COUSIN!!!" to anyone around me who would listen. Haha.

So I had to go to the travel office here at the MTC to talk with the lady there to help figure out my visa troubles (I was really relieved, mom, to know that my new BFF Katy had called and talked to you so that I wouldn't have to spend all week worrying about you not knowing about it). So anyway, on the counter at the office they had this little wooden outhouse looking thing. I didn't really know what it was, but it looked like a little outhouse (you know, with the crescent moon cutout over the door), but it had a hinged door with a wooden dowel as a handle. So I was just kind of messing around with this random outhouse on the desk and I pulled the door open. Big mistake. It exploded! The door was attached to a mousetrap, so when I opened the door, the roof flew off and the walls sprang out. I was so shocked! I just stood there holding the door handle of the now collapsed house with my mouth open. After a few seconds, though, I just started laughing. Everyone in the office was laughing and Sorella Sobeck was REALLY laughing. It was totally funny. It was also a nice way to relieve the stress of my visa disaster. Haha.

ACK! Only 1:30 min left of email time! Okay. I love you! I miss you, too, but I know that this is where I'm supposed to be. I'll try and write real letters to you later on.

Vi voglio un sacco di bene!!!!

Love,

Sorella Soh

p.s. WRITE TO ME. And tell all my lame friends to write to me, too. I don't have anyone's address so I can't write to them. Love you all. WRITE ME!!!

Snail Mail - 9.1.11

Got the first letter from Katie today! I will be sharing her letters and emails and photos as they come.

If you want to write her at the MTC (until November 1st) I'm sure she'd love that:

Sister Katie Soh

MTC Mailbox # 335

ITA-MIL 1102

2005 N 900 E

Provo, UT 84604-1793

I'll post her Italy address when it's time to switch to that one.

Okay, here's the letter, short and sweet: (P-day means "preparation day" it's kinda the missionaries' "day off" of doing missionary stuff to take care of personal things. Sorella is Italian for Sister - LDS missionaries are referred to as Sister Lastname or Elder Lastname instead of by their first names.)

Ciao famiglia!

The MTC president told us/gave us permission to drop a line home today (instead of having to wait until P-day) to "tell your mom that you're alive and breathing and all those things." So. I'm alive and breathing and all those things.

Things are great so far. Except maybe the food, which is just okay. (No cod nuggets yet, though!) My companion's name is Sorella Sobeck (yeah, like Soh-beck!) and she is from CA. She is going to the Roma Mission. We are roommates with two other sisters (companions) Sorella Ivory and Sorella Teichert. I would tell you about them but then what would I write in my email next week?? It's just the four of us and one set of Elders (Anziani) in our district - Anziano Jones and ... Anziano Moh. MOH! Crazy, right? He said it's Chinese. I'll ask him more about it at lunch or something.

I'm still excited about being a missionary. I feel really good about being here. I'm not nervous or scared or anything. I feel really good.

Well, I've got to wrap this up. My p-day is Wednesday, so I'll email you then! I love you! Thanks for supporting me in this. Good things are on their way :)

Love, Sorella Soh